It is going to be a new environment on the field for Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
He's still in the Twin Cities and will be there for years to come after signing a lucrative new contract with Minnesota but for the first time since he arrived in the NFL, a different quarterback will be regularly throwing him the ball, with Kirk Cousins deciding to take his talents to the Atlanta Falcons.
Jefferson had mixed feelings when he learned that Cousins left Minnesota for Atlanta. During a Tuesday appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Jefferson said that while he was surprised by Cousins' move, he understood the reason behind it (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk).
“I always knew Kirk was going to do whatever he needs to do for his business-wise. I just knew that everything wasn’t the way he wanted it to be here, Jefferson said.
Jefferson, who signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension with the Vikings last June, also made it clear that he's not feeling any resentment toward Cousins for leaving the team via NFL free agency.
“Especially just with having to pay me and having to pay so many other different guys, I feel like he just wanted a new start. A new opportunity to start with Atlanta and a clean slate. I’m not mad at him at all for that.
“I’m grateful for what he has brought to me, and the things that we have accomplished together, but at the end of the day it’s a business. You have to do what you have to do for yourself and your family. I clearly understand that. It’s on to the next.”
With Cousins at the helm of the Vikings' attack on the field, Jefferson was able to collect 5,899 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns on 392 receptions and 576 targets, mostly coming from the veteran signal-caller, who inked a $180 million deal for four years with the Falcons back in March.
Jefferson's total career receiving yards in the NFL is also the most by any player in the history of the league in their first four seasons.
Will Vikings WR Justin Jefferson sustain his incredible form minus Kirk Cousins?
Arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL today, Jefferson will always be expected to deliver the goods downfield regardless of who is throwing at him. However, it's fair to ask whether he can be just as effective — if not more effective — with Cousins gone.
“It doesn’t really matter what quarterback it is in my eyes, I’m always going to make the best of the opportunity,” Jefferson said of the QB situation in Minnesota post-Kirk Cousins era.
“Always going to try to be the quarterback’s friend and make his job a lot easier. It doesn’t matter if it’s Kirk or if it’s Sam or it’s J.J. I’m going to make it as easy as possible for them.”
The Vikings currently have a quarterback depth chart that features two team newcomers in Sam Darnold and rookie JJ McCarthy. Darnold, the former third-overall draft pick, comes over to Minnesota after spending a season with the San Francisco 49ers.
He signed a one-year deal worth $10 million with the Vikings in March, and he's presumed to be the team's No. 1 quarterback — for now. Meanwhile, McCarthy is still in the mix for the top spot in the QB pecking order, as he's got a chance to further impress the Vikings in training camp.
Follow Us
Subscribe
